"And you flew around?" - asked my colleague, who, like me, on March 8 was presented with a small bush of azaleas at work. “No, it’s growing so far, only the flowers have wilted,” I replied. But what did she do wrong? Why, a week after the holiday, did she have the whole azalea almost naked, and is everything normal with my flower? Let's try to figure out how to care for azalea at home.
And, by the way, this is rhododendronI was very surprised when I found out that this overseas beauty is a direct relative of our Far Eastern rhododendron, which adorns swampy valleys in floodplains of taiga rivers in spring with their chic lilac color . Well then it’s clear - this plant loves its wet content. It can even be grown hydroponically. In general, azalea is one of the few indoor plants that prefer acidic soils. A mixture of coniferous soil with peat and sand (4: 2: 0.5) is suitable for her. Well, if you do not have the opportunity to go to the pine forest for the soil for this whim, then you can get by with special soil for azaleas - this is sold in stores.
Rules for caring for azaleas from the store
Our stores sell azaleas from Denmark and Holland. A competent consultation on how to care for azalea at home can only be given by a person who has practical experience in keeping these plants at home. They are sold in transporting soil, which is a mixture of horse peat with coconut fiber and possessing qualities that are valuable to the seller, such as lightness and moisture capacity. But for the constant growth of the plant, it is not suitable. After the purchase, you need to transplant the azalea into the soil recommended above. Usually, azaleas are sold in the amount of 4 roots in one pot. You can separate these roots and plant each in a separate pot. It will not be possible to remove the transport soil from them - it compressed too much and caught on the root part of the plants. Therefore, they can be divided by simply cutting the contents of the pot crosswise into four parts.
Leaving immediately after landing
I will try to focus your attention on the most important points of how to care for azalea at home. After planting in the recommended soil, the plant must be treated with insecticidal and fungicidal preparations for prevention, allowed to dry, and then sprayed with the Epin biostimulator to reduce stress. If you have a greenhouse with a temperature of no higher than + 20º and a humidity of at least 80%, this is an ideal place for azaleas. If there is no such place, then after the azalea leaves have dried, it is better to cover it with a plastic bag or put in any other greenhouse. Flowers, of course, must be cut off. If there are unblown buds, and you want to save this plant - it is better to cut them too. Now the main thing is to let the azaleas “freeze” from stress and gradually accustom it to the climate of your home. How to care for azalea at home, then you gradually decide for yourself, but for now, a week after planting, you can open the bag every day for two months, increasing the ventilation time more and more, so that the plant, firstly, is ventilated, and secondly, gradually hardened and used to grow outside of greenhouse conditions.
“Why then do not cover the azaleas in stores?” - you ask. The fact is that for sale, plants are prepared on farms in a special way. They are “fed” with a certain set of hormonal and mineral substances, allowing not only to bloom elegantly, but also to maintain their appearance for several months, regardless of growing conditions.
When you transplant azalea into home soil, you will dramatically disrupt the metabolism that occurred in the plant up to this point. In addition, gradually the reserves of all supporting substances will be exhausted, and the azalea, not accustomed to grow without them, will die. By providing greenhouse conditions at first, you can smooth out the effects of stress.
North Window Plant
Does not like the bright sun azalea. Her delicate flowers quickly wither in the heat, and the leaves burn and crumble. This plant will feel great on the north window. With regular feeding, it will bloom and grow. Azaleas need high humidity, with dry air, leaves begin to crumble. Therefore, it is better to put a container filled with water next to the azalea, or put a pot of plants over a tray with water. In summer, during the heat season, you can cover the soil around the azalea with ice. Better, of course, to keep it in the summer in an air-conditioned room. Well, overdrying of the soil is unacceptable - it should always be a little wet.
Yes, I must say bluntly - this plant is not for beginner florists. In order for it to please you with its chic flowering, you need to know the basic rules of how to care for plants of this species.